Madeira Island Fauna & Flora 1862
This beautiful watercolour forms part of an unusual collection of works that we have for sale documenting the unique flora and fauna of Madeira island in the 19th century.
Thanks to the island's isolation and mild climate, species continue to thrive in Madeira that in the rest of the continent now exist only as fossils. Madeira has one of the best preserved vegetation of Macaronesia; there are more than 150 known endemic plant species.
These vibrant watercolours dating from 1862 show colourful flowers, fruit, insects and fish—including Madeira Wolf Spiders (Hogna Maderiana), Vinhatico Mahogany & Pitanga Fruit, Duranta Flower, Sphinx of Euphorbia Hawkmoth Caterpillars and a Portuguese Man o' War, amongst others. They date from a time when the study of the island's plant and animal life was in its infancy; only later in the century and into the 20th century would the international scientific community turn its attention increasingly to this under-explored region.
In the early 19th century Madeira was such a draw for the British that it was virtually a British colony. The island had a long-established permanent English-speaking community mainly involved in the wine trade. Most visitors belonged to the moneyed aristocracy, and many wintered on the island as prescribed by doctors to treat respiratory conditions. As a result, there was a need to prepare guides for visitors; the first tourist guide of Madeira appeared in 1850 and focused on elements of history, geology, flora, fauna and customs of the island.
Our artist is likely one such visitor, but one who had a greater than average interest in the specificities of the island's species; notes accompanying the collection show the artist's desire not only to capture the island's flora and fauna on paper, but also to accurately record their correct nomenclature.
